This application claims the priority of 101 55 376.5, filed Nov. 10, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention is directed to an air guiding device for a motor vehicle.
A vehicle air guiding device of the generic type is disclosed, for example, in German Patent Document DE 37 11 386 A1. It comprises a deployment device and an air guiding element (particularly a rear spoiler), which can be displaced between operative and inoperative positions by means of the deployment device. In its inoperative position, the air guiding element is lowered with respect to a stationary shell of the vehicle body and, in the operative position, it is deployed outward to project beyond the vehicle body shell. The deployment device has at least one deployment element with a deployment arm displaceably disposed in a guide housing, the air guiding element being arranged on the fastening end of the deployment arm. In addition, the deployment element is equipped with a manually operable adjusting device by means of which the air guiding element can be aligned in its inoperative position relative to the shell of the vehicle body. For such alignment, a tube extension is inserted into the deployment arm, which is constructed as a hollow body; the tube extension can be fastened inside the deployment arm in various displacement positions. For the latter purpose, an oblong hole is provided at the tube extension, and a fastening screw reaches through the oblong hole and being screwed into the deployment arm. The air guiding element is fastened to the free end of the tube extension.
One object of the invention is to provide an air guiding device for a motor vehicle which permits a simple alignment of the air guiding element with respect to the shell of the vehicle body.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the air guiding device according to the invention, which includes an air guiding element that is displaceable, by means of a deployment device, between operative and inoperative positions. In its inoperative position, it is lowered with respect to a stationary vehicle body shell and, in its operative position it is deployed outward, projecting beyond the vehicle body shell. The deployment device has at least one deployment element with a deployment arm that is displaceably disposed in a guide housing. The air guiding element is arranged on the fastening end of the deployment arm. The deployment element is equipped with a manually operable adjusting device in order to align the air guiding element in its inoperative position relative to the vehicle body shell. To adjust the air guiding element in its inoperative position relative to the vehicle body shell, the deployment element has an internal or external-thread section on its fastening end as an adjusting arrangement. The latter extends in the longitudinal direction of the deployment element and has an adjusting device screwed thereon, which adjustment device has a counterthread section. The air guiding element is fastened to the free end of the adjusting device.
By means of the air guiding device according to the invention, a very precise and gradual alignment of the air guiding element in its inoperative position exists relative to the shell of the vehicle body. In particular, the height (Z-direction) of the air guiding element relative to the shell of the vehicle body can be adjusted on the air guiding device according to the invention.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the air guiding element need not be demounted during an adjustment of the adjusting element.
In another embodiment, an arrangement is provided for simple fastening of the air guiding element on the adjusting device.
According to a feature of the invention, if the fastening opening is constructed as an oblong hole, in addition to the above-mentioned alignment possibility in the Z-direction, another alignment can be achieved which is oriented either in the X-direction or Y-direction, depending on the direction of the oblong hole. As a result, the gap between the air guiding element and the shell of the vehicle body can be adjusted to a desired measurement.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the fastening opening may have a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the fastening section, so that alignment is achieved in the Z-direction as well as in the Y-direction.
In yet another embodiment the air guiding element can be produced in two parts consisting of a base part and a cover closing off the base part, providing an access to the adjusting device when the cover is removed.
Finally, according to another feature of the invention, the adjusting device can be operated in a simple manner by way of the molded application element, and can be adjusted precisely in order to obtain the desired relative position of the air guiding element with respect to the shell of the vehicle body.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.